RE-ENTRY

Since I started blogging, the time between the last blog post and this has been the longest. That's stating the obvious I know but I just want you to understand the context in which this blogpost is being written. I like to write! If I dont worry so much about anyone reading, I can keep at it and keep writing for the longest time. Its usually the thought of boring others that stops me when I write blogposts.

Anyway, I have a new respect for bloggers who blog from Nigeria! Not because they are special in any way, but because they are special in EVERY WAY!!!

First, logistics made trying to blog almost impossible and then Nigerianitis kicked in and while its not a debilitating disease, it does have symptoms such as inability to connect to the internet as one of its definitive signs by which one can begin treatment, but that is only if the treatment were known. Researchers are still hard at work to attempt to hazard a guess as to why it occurs. Another story for another day.

So, I wanted to share my re-entry (dare I say in grand style?!) to my beloved country (apologies, Alan Paton!I no fit cry!) and some may wonder that I wrote about my re-entry before so what am I on about? Read my hope for my re-entry here http://randomthoughts-n.blogspot.com/2012/03/real-nigeria-1.html and if you are interested in the real deal, keep reading!

PHCN does their thing! Shior! Like I care!

As I was saying before being rudely interrupted by the disappearance of electricity, I hoped that my re-entry would be at least normal. I hoped that the trip would be stress less, it was. The 1^st flight was delayed so by the time I got to my connecting flight, the plane had been held up for me & I was eternally grateful, I was not ready to spend a whole day waiting on the next flight sitting on uncomfortable airport furniture.

It was with  a sigh that I entered the plane and I felt rather than saw the eyes that stared daggers at me and hisses from the women who must have felt I had spent the time at the duty free, loading up on perfumes and liquor, I hadnt but they had decided I was guilty,no trial necessary! I made it to my seat & the man seated in the aisle seat looked at me as if I was something the dog dragged in. Undeterred,totally grateful to have been given the ride, I tried to place my hand luggage  ( I packed Nigerian!) in the hatch and after trying 3 of them to find them full, a young man took pity on me and reminded me that I was on a Nigeria-bound flight and all of the hatches were full. This on a flight that was less than half-full! 

The man in 41C looked scandalized that I meant to stow all of my stuff under the seats, he wondered where he would stretch his legs, like I cared.  I plunked down on my seat and promptly went to sleep, waking intermittently to glare at my seat partner and the lady behind me who was involved in an animated conversation with her seat partner complete with banging on the back of my seat and all other effects, Wimin?!!

I actually awoke to eat both meals and spent some time trying to recall the journey to the US without success, seemed my mind had deleted the trip being traumatic as it was. The plane landed, inspired by a youtube video of the minutes before landing, I filmed it and tried to sound as disaffected by the chaos I was seeing even far above the earth as I did. I heaved a sigh of relief, stepped out and was gangstar-slapped by the heat. No air conditioning or functional escalators, with my hand luggage, a nightmare! I descended the stairs one at a time and on getting to the last stair, the crew on a Qatar flight arrived and the escalator was promptly switched on for them and they proceeded to push us all aside to make their way through. I seethed but was determined to be good & no one would spoil my enjoyment of this back-to-naija trip.

From here, it took on the quality of my blogpost, The real Nigeria 1 and I went through Immigrations, was offered a trolley, got another when that proved not to want to move, and approached Customs. A lady assured me that if she did not check me, I would be searched badly and I made her do quite a bit (couldnt resist!). Eventually, she wanted to know how long ago I had been in the US and why I seemed unfazed by the stress. I told her that I was hopeful that it wouldn’t be as bad as it used to be and she smiled and waved me through. My dependable brother-in-law was on hand and a hug and a joke later, the car arrived and I was on my way to see my babies!

Our meeting was beautiful; I only remember its quality, not the details, a lot of hugs, kisses, some tears,a lot of jumping up and down, screaming and such like. We were back! In more ways than one! They looked at me and tried to be kind, you are not as fat as you say! And I smiled. Daddy clocked in on the phone and we talked. Its ok, we are home, we are back!